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LESSON 4
Benjamin Disraeli. 1805-1881, was of Jewish descent. His ancestors were driven out of Spain by the Inquisition, and went to Venice. In 1748, his grandfather came to England. His father was Isaac Disraeli, well known as a literary man. Benjamin was born in London, and received his early education under his father. He afterwards studied for a lawyer, but soon gave up his profession for literature. His first novel, “Vivian Grey,” appeared when the author was twenty-one years of age; it received much attention. After several defeats he succeeded in an election to Parliament, and took his seat in that body, in the first year of Victoria’s reign. On his first attempt to speak in Parliament, the House refused to hear him. It is said that, as he sat down, he remarked that the time would come when they would hear him. In 1849, he became the leader of the Conservative party in the House. During the administration of W. E. Gladstone, Mr. Disraeli was leader of the opposition. In 1868, he became prime minister, holding the office for a short time. In 1874, he was again appointed to the same office, where he remained until 1880. His wife was made Viscountess of Beaconsfield i 1868. After her death, the title of Earl of Beaconsfield was conferred on Disraeli. He ranked among the most eminent statesmen of the age, but always devoted a portion of his time to literature. “Lothair,” a novel, was published in 1870.
They looked round on every side, and hope gave way before the scene of desolation. Immense branches were shivered from the largest trees; small ones were entirely stripped of their leaves; the long grass was bowed to the earth; the waters were whirled in eddies out of the little rivulets; birds, leaving their nests to seek shelter in the crevices of the rocks, unable to stem the driving air, flapped their wings and fell upon the earth; the frightened animals of the plain, almost suffocated by the impetuosity of the wind, sought safety and found destruction; some of the largest trees were torn up by the roots; the sluices of the mountains were filled, and innumerable torrents rushed down the before empty gullies. The heavens now open, and the lightning and thunder contend with the horrors of the wind.
In a moment, all was again hushed. Dead silence succeeded the bellow of the thunder, the roar of the wind, the rush of the waters, the moaning of the beasts, the screaming of the birds. Nothing was heard save the plash of the agitated lake, as it beat up against the black rocks which girt it in.
Again, greater darkness enveloped the trembling earth. Anon, the heavens were rent with lightning, which nothing could have quenched but the descending deluge. Cataracts poured down from the lowering firmament. For an instant, the horses dashed madly forward;beast and rider blinded and stifled by the gushing rain, and gasping for breath. Shelter was nowhere. The quivering beasts reared, and snorted, and sank upon their knees, dismounting their riders.
He had scarcely spoken, when there burst forth a terrific noise, they knew not what; a
rush, they could not understand; a vibration which shook them on their horses. Every terror sank before the roar of the cataract. It seemed that the mighty mountain, unable to support its weight of waters, shook to the foundation. A lake had burst upon its summit, and the cataract became a falling ocean. The source of the great deep appeared to be discharging itself over the range of mountains; the great gray peak tottered on its foundation!—It shook!—it fell! and buried in its ruins the castle, the village, and the bridge!
【中文阅读】
他们环顾四周，盼望眼前不再是荒凉的景象。那些长得最高大的树浓密的树叶摇曳颤抖着，而小树的枝叶则完全脱落了。长得很高的青草匍匐在地面上，清水从小溪里打着漩涡流淌出来；飞离鸟巢在岩石的裂缝中寻觅着栖身之地的鸟儿，无法在涌来的气流中稳住身躯，结果扑打着翅膀落在地上。原野上受惊的动物被铺天盖地的大风刮得窒息了，到处寻找能避风的安全所在，最后倒地不起。那些大树有的被风连根拔起，山上洪流卷起数不清的狂潮，朝溪谷奔泻而下。这时，天空敞开裂口，电闪雷鸣与骇人的狂风展开一场竞赛。
一时间，所有的一切——电闪雷鸣和山洪，又归于寂静。雷鸣怒吼、狂风咆哮、山洪大作、兽啸山林和鸟儿尖叫过后，接下来是死一般的沉寂。除了湍急的湖水绕着黑魆魆的岩石拍打的声音，什么也听不到了。
颤抖的大地又一次披上了更幽深的黑暗的外衣。不久之后，天空划过一道道闪电，暴雨倾盆而下。从乌云压得很低的苍穹，大瀑布一般的雨向大地倾泻。顷刻间，马儿发疯似的向前猛冲，不论马儿还是骑马的行路人都被瓢泼大雨遮挡住了视线，气都喘不上来了。瑟瑟发抖的马儿向后倒退着，发出很响的鼻息，双膝颤抖着向下堆着，将骑手掀下马来。
当爆出骇人的声响时，他一言不发，人们不晓得怎么会这样。他们不清楚是怎么回事，只是匆忙赶路。一阵地动山摇，他们在马上直摇晃。在听到大瀑布的轰鸣声之前，所有的恐惧都沉在每个人的心底。仿佛巍峨的高山也无法负担山洪的重压似的，连它的根部也在摇晃。湖水倾泛，大瀑布汇成了海洋。最深处的水源似乎流向各山脉，远处隐约可见的峰顶好像也晃了起来！它在摇晃！摇摇欲坠！城堡、村庄和桥梁夷为平地了！